


Water

by deepspacevoyagers



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F, Female Friendship, Near Death Experiences, One Shot, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-12 00:53:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19937335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deepspacevoyagers/pseuds/deepspacevoyagers
Summary: Some memories are hard to deal with.





	Water

When Neelix had announced a so-called Pool Party at the Paxau Resort to boost the crew’s morale and welcome the _Equinox_ crew, Seven of Nine’s first thought was to decline his invitation.

She had seen countless vast liquid bodies while on away team missions, and had long gotten used to the bland taste of drinking water.

But it was not water she feared.

Something about swimming pools bothered her immensely.

Neelix’s invitation had promised plenty of exciting activities, and he had assured her privately that holo-lifeguards would be present, while a medic would always be on duty there.

Yet she remained at unease.

Ever since she had received the invitation, she had been experiencing, very faintly, the sensation of sinking; all alone and surrounded by darkening shades of blue, unable to breathe as she descended further; incapable of calling for help.

_Annika’s memories_?

Then the sensation would pass and she would find herself able to breathe once more, her heart racing.

She disliked this, and found it unacceptable that she was temporarily incapable of continuing her work once those feelings resurfaced.

But to not attend the party meant upsetting Naomi Wildman, and Captain Janeway, who had urged all of the senior staff to come.

Which is why she found herself entering the Resort’s simulation one day, hoping to put herself at ease.

The computer indicated that Lieutenant Torres was already running the program and utilizing its swimming pool, but Seven was certain that she would not be noticed. From the moment she entered the holodeck, the Lieutenant had been engrossed in swimming countless laps in the pool, and it didn’t seem like she was stopping any time soon.

Seven decided that that was a good thing. The last thing she wanted was for Torres to accuse her again of intruding into her privacy.

She had ducked into a corner when Torres was at the far end of the pool, and decided that it was an acceptable location for her to remain in for the duration of the party. The swimming pool was out of sight, and she could play _kadis-kot_ with Naomi Wildman, safe on land. There, she could also possibly request Commander Tuvok to instruct her on playing _kal-toh_ , a much safer (and intellectually stimulating) activity.

Perhaps the party would not be so bad, after all.

Making a mental note to inquire Commander Tuvok about the use of his _kal-toh_ set, Seven was about to depart when she noticed Lieutenant Torres, still clad in her swimsuit, standing in the doorway and watching her.

“A penny for your thoughts, Seven?”

Instantly, Seven flushed. “I apologise, Lieutenant. I was getting myself acquainted with this holodeck program before Neelix’s party.”

“Well, I kinda figured out that you weren’t here to watch me swim.”

“I was not aware that you noticed my entry.”

Torres shrugged. “I saw you come in, Seven. Anyway, I’m guessing you won’t be taking part in any of the water games.”

“That is correct,” Seven replied, trying to quell her sudden discomfort.

“You don’t know how to swim?”

“That is correct.”

“And the Doctor won’t let your implants get wet?”

“No.”

“Then – oh.” Torres seemed to recognize something in Seven’s face.

She sat down and eyed the ex-drone.

“You’re afraid of drowning.”

Seven paled.

“I had that same expression for a long time when I was a kid,” Torres started softly.

“The other kids wanted to see if my ridges would disappear if I was underwater long enough. Some of them just didn’t like my face. So they would push me and see how long I could stay underwater.” She sighed.

“It didn’t take long for me to get scared of the water. Even as a child I knew what the water could do to me. It wasn’t until the Academy that I started swimming again; it was a good way to burn off my anger. That was probably the only thing about the Academy I missed when I joined the Maquis.”

Then she looked away. “I’m sorry, Seven. I guess this didn’t help at all.”

Seven took a deep breath, the Lieutenant’s words still echoing in her mind. “Do you remember how…almost drowing felt like?”

Torres sighed wearily. “Only fragments of it. I remember feeling the pain and coldness on my face every time I got shoved in, breathing in the filthy water, and the overwhelming panic and anger. They aren’t pleasant memories.”

Seven blinked and once again saw herself in a watery chasm, helplessly sinking as her lungs filled with water, the world around her moving in slow motion -

\- And then she felt warm hands on her arms. Looking up, an extremely worried-looking B’Elanna Torres was hovering over her.

“I’m so sorry Seven, I shouldn’t have told you all this. I’ll get you to sickbay, see if the Doctor can help you –”

“I am…unharmed.” Seven’s voice turned shaky. “But I have been imagining; feeling similar sensations recently. I think that when I was a child, I…Annika nearly drowned.”

She took a quick glance in the direction of the pool and shuddered as the memories began flooding back involuntarily.

“She slipped and fell into the deep end of the pool, and it was so sudden that she couldn’t do anything. She sunk and all she could see was nothing but blue. She wanted to escape but her legs wouldn’t respond. She thought she would die, all alone.”

Torres, who had moved to sit next to Seven while she was talking, leaned in and put her arms around her.

Seven responded by clinging onto Torres tightly, finding an anchor amidst the storm. She felt herself shuddering once more, but willed herself to continue.

“Annika felt like she was there for an infinity, suffocating in a world that was not hers. But at the very last moment, just before she gave in, she felt strong arms carrying her up, and she could breathe again.”

She paused to compose herself. “I do not remember much, but I know that after this, Annika hated the water.”

“And what about you?” Torres’ eyes were full of concern.

“I am beginning to feel the same way.” Her voice was unsteady.

“Look, it’s just another party, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. I’m sure Neelix and the Captain will understand,” Torres asserted, her voice taking on an unusually protective tone.

“But as a member of _Voyager_ ’s senior staff, I am obliged to attend, even for a minimal duration. Fear will be irrelevant.”

“Fear _is_ relevant, Seven. We don’t have to like it, but overcoming fear is one of the things that shapes us and pushes us forward. This party is just not the right time to tackle your fear head on, not with the chance of some idiot pushing you into the water for fun!”

“You are suggesting that I take small steps.”

“ _Many_ small steps. One small step for Annika, then one giant leap for Seven downright sounds like a bad idea.”

“Perhaps I can begin by still attending the party, though keeping my distance from the pool.”

“And I’ll come after anyone who wants to dunk you into the water.”

“I am perfectly capable of looking after myself, Lieutenant.”

“It doesn’t hurt to have an extra pair of eyes.”

“Very well. Thank you, Lieutenant.” Her heart was now an ocean of tranquility, the oppressive weight of her memories now lifted.

Torres squeezed her arm. “C’mon, let’s get you out of here. We can go and grab a bite before the mess hall gets swarmed.”

Seven raised her eyebrow. “In your swimsuit?” Not that it wasn’t a pretty sight.

“Right.” Torres blushed, then craned her head to search for the changing rooms. “I’m going to change first. I won’t take long, I promise.”

Seven met her shy smile and watched her retreat. She would definitely have to reconsider her opinion on Lieutenant Torres.

**Author's Note:**

> This story was lying in my drafts for about a year. I found it hard to continue this because the content is a little angsty, and also because I do remember entering the deep end of the pool by accident as a kid, and taking in quite a bit of water. It's not a nice feeling. (Always keep an eye on your kids in the water!!!!) The ending turned out a bit more happier than what I planned, but hey, the two of them deserve to be happy!


End file.
